Our world has many problems and God wants to use His Church to do something about them. However complicated and challenging this might seem, the ultimate goal of the Christian life is quite simple: Love. Jesus made it clear that a genuine and lived-out love for others is the distinguishing mark of His followers. Without love, all of the programs, plans and charitable organizations in this world amount to nothing, and we have missed what it means to be Christian. A troubled world is crying out for Help. Let us answer and affect change one person at a time by loving well.

Gun violence and mass shootings have become a pervasive and petrifying problem in our country. Since 1982, there have been 109 mass shootings in the U.S. that have left 883 dead and 1,328 wounded. It seems no place in our society is really safe, as these acts of violence have taken place at schools, the workplace, restaurants, and even churches. Gun violence as a whole results in more than 11,000 murders every year in our country and more than 20,000 deaths by suicide. When the news breaks of yet another shooting, the public debate over gun control and mental health begins anew. How do we stop this evil from happening? To stop violence in our country ultimately requires going to the source of the problem: the human heart. When a person feels extreme rejection from an individual or from society as a whole, that hurt can turn into anger and acts of vengeance. As the Church, we must show people they are known and loved and give them a place to belong. We must also examine our own hearts for any evidence of anger or bitterness and sever the root of violence through the grace and forgiveness found in Christ.

Immigration and mass migration have become complicated and divisive problems in our country. Since 1960, the U.S. has continued to serve as the top destination for international migrants as the land of freedom and opportunity. This influx has led to increasingly tense public debate over our national economy and security as we struggle to balance our humanitarian responsibility with our ability to care for humanity. Is the ultimate solution walls and travel bans, or can we make a greater difference as the Church? Immigration is a problem for our country because the Church has failed in her imitation of our Christ. God repeatedly calls His people to care for the foreigner and love the immigrant, not as a matter of public policy but as a matter of personal responsibility. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that the surest solution to immigration concerns is not an open or closed border, but the open doors of the Church and Christian homes. Will we love others the way He has loved us?

Human trafficking is a significant problem in our world today. It’s estimated that more than 20 million people worldwide are currently living as slaves, while as many as 800,000 are trafficked across international borders every year. Even in the United States, more than 20,000 people are victims of human trafficking annually, with the vast majority being women and more than half of them children. These victims are typically exploited and forced into involuntary servitude and prostitution. The vulnerable and marginalized have always been at the center of God's missional activity in the world, and Scripture repeatedly calls us to care for the outcast, widows, orphans, and the poor. As followers of Christ, we must do everything we can to secure freedom for those living in bondage. How does God want to use you to help set people free?

Abortion is a most serious problem in our country and in our world. This past January 22nd marked the 46th anniversary of the landmark SCOTUS decision, Roe v. Wade, that made it illegal for any state to ban abortion. Since that time, nearly 60 million legal abortions have been performed in the U.S., an average of 1.3 million abortions per year. This means that for every 1,000 babies born, more than 200 have been killed prior to birth. How is this still happening? Every day, lies are told and laws give permission for this evil to be committed in ignorance and defiance. As the Church, we must educate and inform people with the truth – that every unborn child is very much a child and has a God-given right to life. We must also offer hope to those considering abortion, showing them it is not their only way out. We must use our voice to speak for those who don’t yet have one. We must fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

Racism remains a serious problem in our world. People are still pre-judged by the color of their skin and by their outward appearance, not by the content of their character. Our divided World is desperately in need of a united Church who is determined to see each other as God sees us. Jesus died to bring an end to pride, to fear, and to prejudice. The Cross demolishes distinctions we make for ourselves and unites us in our humanity, our sin and our salvation. As the Church, we are called to fight against Ignorance by listening to and learning from others who have different experiences than we have. We must overcome Indignation and pursue reconciliation and freedom through Forgiveness. We must oppose Indifference and acknowledge racism as our problem – not just their problem. One day, “every tribe and language and people and nation” will be united in God’s presence forever. Until then, let’s give the world a glimpse of that glorious Day!

There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period that the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was the thermostat that transformed the mores of society…If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. – Martin Luther King, Jr. (Letter from the Birmingham Jail, 1963)

Poverty is a serious problem in our world. Everywhere you look, there seems to be a great imbalance of wealth and power that causes anxiety and suffering. Many live without even the most basic provisions: food, shelter and clothing. Yet God is a God of justice. He wants His people to make a difference in the world, standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. He is a God of compassion, and He wants His church to share what we have with those who have nothing. We are called to display God’s love by caring for those who need help. Who do you know in need? What can you do to help today?

Poverty. Racism. Immigration. Gun Violence. Abortion. Human Trafficking. Our world has problems. God has plenty to say about the problems in our world, and He wants to use His Church to do something about them. The Christian Church has been the single most influential and world-shaping entity in human history. Recently, however, we have lost – or rather, abdicated – our position of transformational influence. We tend to focus on the wrong things and do little to meet the needs and fix the problems our culture is actually facing. We care more about our needs being met in church than we care about meeting needs as the Church. We have lost sight of the need, the brokenness, and the Battle. And it’s time to re-engage. Help is Wanted. Apply today!

Scripture References: Isaiah 5:1-2, Matthew 7:16-20, Matthew 16:18

(Those who have) applied to serve in the legion of the expendables; who love not their lives unto the death; who volunteer to suffer for Christ’s sake and who follow up their application with lives that challenge the devil and invite the fury of hell. – A.W. Tozer